


Edge of Balance

by gay_starwars



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Stormpilot - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Consensual Sex, Difficult Decisions, Eventual Poe Dameron/Finn, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gay Poe Dameron, Gay Sex, Healthy Relationships, Implied Poe Dameron/Finn, Kylux - Freeform, M/M, Oral Sex, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Porn With Plot, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Poe Dameron, Rey Ships It, Sexual Tension, Stormpilot, Trauma, gay fluff, smut with plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-04 16:48:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20474315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_starwars/pseuds/gay_starwars
Summary: In the months after the Battle of Crait, the First Order has begun their conquest of the galaxy as new Supreme Leader,  Kylo Ren, continues his dark crusade to dominate the last free star systems. As the Resistance fleet rises from its former ashes, a daring strike by General Organa begins. When pilot Poe Dameron and liberated stormtrooper Finn join forces to bring the First Order to its knees, the promise of hope, war, and romance shine bright on the horizon. The fate of the young Resistance fighters will forever be bound.





	1. Faith and Failure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe must deal with the internal consequences of defeat. Everything hangs in the balance as the galaxy is divided by war. As the spark of hope lights a fire unlike any other, the Resistance reaches a point of no return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strap in! I have a great, action-packed story for y'all, filled with war, drama, and steamy Stormpilot goodness!  
This story is ongoing, so get ready.

The retrieval operation on Dantooine had not gone as planned. 

Poe looked out of the viewport of the troop carrier in despair, his gaze locked on the blue haze of swirling hyperspace. A sight that, despite his countless interstellar travels, never ceased to mesmerize the him; the stars were his home, and had been so for many years. And the stars hung in the balance as the tide turned once again.

If only the tides had turned in their favor.

It became tragically clear to the weary Resistance pilot that the stars would not bestow upon him the consolation he so deeply desired. There was nothing he or his team could do at this point but return to base and reconvene while simultaneously mourning the fallen. If he could, he would have crashed his X-Wing through the hull of a First Order Dreadnought ten times over if it meant that his mission had been worth at least _ something _ . There had been only so much he could do to give the team on the ground cover from above as they went about their given mission. _ And now I’m returning to General Leia a failure _. 

Poe contemplated the whole situation with dread. The goal had initially seemed straightforward: intercept a shipment of coaxium that was being funneled out of the planet’s former Rebel base, which had been retrofitted by a group of pirates as a trading outpost. According to their intel, the coaxium’s intended destination was First Order shipyards, the location of which was unknown. A series of blunders on the Resistance’s behalf had seemingly obliterated any chance of acquiring such a valuable asset. The precious starship fuel would have done wonders to accelerate the growing Resistance fleet’s current progress, but that dream had suddenly turned into a vicious nightmare when bloodshed began on the planet surface.

The team on the ground, for the most part, suffered only a slight amount of casualties, but the deaths would always carry an everlasting impact on those involved. Good people, people fighting for a better future free from the evils of an oppressive regime, had perished in the line of duty. All due to a band of particularly greedy and malicious Weequay pirates who appeared to be in league with the First Order. The pirates, who had put up quite a fight, had managed to escape with the cargo in their modified saucer-craft, flanked by an escort of TIE-Fighters. 

Poe pressed his hand against the viewport, feeling tears slowly creep down his cheek. He should have been down there to assist with the operation! He had been no help from the skies, and by the time the enemy had escaped, his squadron had been ordered to refrain from a pursuit; aid was needed by the reeling Resistance soldiers at the long-abandoned base below.

He had done as he had been ordered by the Resistance, but at what cost? The newly formed Sage Squadron had been cobbled together by Poe at Leia’s very own orders, orders that also provided clear instructions to allow their fellow fighters to carry out their mission on Dantooine with no interference whatsoever.

Orders had been given, and Poe had done his duty. And now there was blood on his hands.

“Incoming transmission from General Organa.”

A technician put an arm on Poe’s shoulder, displaying a grim smile. Poe stepped back from the viewport and somehow managed to smile back, mimicking the mutual expression of blatant defeat mixed with a desperate spark of hope.

“The General has requested you speak to her in private.” The technician now appeared to be uneasy, which had the startling effect of making Poe uneasy as well. He was surprised that the leader of the Resistance had taken this long to have made contact with him.

Poe strolled after the technician, who led him across the deck of the transport to a dark screen. He stood silently as the technician vacated the area of surrounding crew members and moved to the device. The next few seconds were spent opening the secret channel to Resistance high command at their current base of operations. Poe, for what felt like the millionth time, noted how tedious it was, sustaining such a secret means of communication in such a dark time. An age of ruthlessness and betrayal that was growing in the vacancy of an overarching galactic government. 

An age that was now growing in the First Order’s shadow, a shadow that promised return of tyranny to the galaxy.

After a few brief moments of static and a distorted array of color, the technician managed to cue the transmission. She swiftly stepped to the side as the familiar visage of General Leia Organa appeared, hair slightly disheveled and a sheen of sweat on her forehead. The woman, visibly tense with her arms crossed, stared at Poe in what could only be described as astonishment.

“Commander Dameron, I-”

“General Organa, the mission was unsuccessful.” The truth was painful, but it was the truth nonetheless. “Due to my incompetence in the field. My squadron did their best to provide adequate air support, but the pirates… they were too swift and evaded the efforts of our infiltration team.”

Leia gave him a warm smile, the tension on her face fading away. “Rest assured, it was not a failure, Dameron.”

It wasn’t? “General Leia, I think I should make it clear that-”

Leia held up a hand to silence him, the smile still present on her face. It took all of his willpower not to appear visibly disturbed; it was unlike the general to smile in the face of defeat, especially when lives had been lost in the field. Behind her, Poe could see a flurry of activity as pilots, maintenance workers, and members of the high command moved with purpose and determination. The Resistance was never idle, but something about Leia and her surroundings suggested something significantly larger was taking place, and he, for some unknown reason, did not have the full picture.

“What aren’t you telling me, Leia?”

“Please forgive me.” Leia’s expression was now one of guilt. “It would not have worked as precisely as I wanted it to if you and your squadron knew the truth. The team sent to the ground was personally put together by myself - for a very specific and very secret reason.”

Poe shifted in discomfort. “You didn’t trust me?”

Leia frowned. “This goes beyond trust. Believe me, this was nothing personal.” She clasped her hands together, her posture rigid and uncertainty as clear as day in her old eyes. “Everyone was where they were by design. It was important that if things had gone haywire, your team would be there to provide aid and defense from any First Order scout vessels.”

“Things did go haywire. They escaped with the coaxium, and now the-”

“It was never about the coaxium, Poe.” Leia’s intensity was unexpected, having come with no forewarning. “Sure, it would have been helpful, but if luck is on our side, we’ll have that fuel in our hands in no time.”

“What do you mean?”

“That team on the ground was sent to put a tracker on the Weequay ship.”

It all suddenly clicked for Poe. “It was never about the coaxium.”

“It was not.”

Poe felt an immediate surge of adrenaline. “We’ve put tracker on their ship.”

“Yes we have,” the general confirmed once again. “A ship that is currently en route to-”

“The First Order shipyards!” 

“This is all thanks to the efforts of your squadron and the infiltration team. As well as your friend.” Leia gave Poe a devilish smirk, one that almost seemed suggestive in nature.

“My friend?”

“Finn. He is responsible for the intel I recently gathered. A transmission hinting at the Weequay operation was decoded by our slicers and technicians two weeks ago. Finn was helping with negotiations on Gatalenta when I sent for him to set course for Dantooine to investigate.”

“He really came through, didn’t he?” It took all of his willpower for him to keep his face from appearing flushed.

“He did indeed,” Leia agreed, pride evident in her voice. “When we have located the shipyard, I will be sending him with you on a reconnaissance flight to provide scan data.”  
  
Poe felt the warmth in his face, bright red and visible. “Finn? You’re sending him with me?”

“Yes. I believe he will may prove critical to our success in this operation.” Leia shrugged lightheartedly. “It pays to have a former stormtrooper on our side.

“Agreed.”

“Now that we are on the same page, return to base immediately,” Leia ordered. “The sooner we begin, the better. I have a feeling that this operation could very well be the beginning of the end. Everything might depend on this.”

The screen went dark, leaving Poe with nothing but his thoughts. Thoughts of secret data retrieval missions, of burning a hole through the heart of the First Order navy. Of regret from not having put full faith in the Resistance’s orders for the mission.

Thoughts of seeing Finn again.


	2. Bigger Than Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance continues its search for allies in their battle against the First Order.

The negotiations on Gatalenta were not as simple as Finn had originally assumed they would be.

The system, renowned for their sense of peacefulness and serenity, had so far managed to remain free from the yoke of the First Order, but that was partly due to the strife among the planet’s ruling body, the Council of Mothers. The Council was divided on whether or not it was in their best interests to fight alongside the Resistance in their battle against the might of the First Order, simultaneously defeating the initial purpose of the negotiations.

The result had been a vicious hour of bickering and evading questions.

“Your fleet was decimated after the D’Qar incident,” one of the Mothers had scoffed at the entourage of Resistance members who stood before the Council in a fluorescent meeting hall. The overhanging white lights had an almost almost blinding effect on Finn, but they supposedly soothed the nerves of those who lived on the planet. 

“Incident?” Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix pressed with a flare of intensity. “Just an incident? Our base was destroyed during the evacuation operation. And the First Order picked off our fighters all the way to Crait. Yes, it was a slaughter, but good people died. Good people did the right thing by standing up and fighting.”

“At what cost? The loss of human life-”

“The loss of _ all _life is not taken lightly in the Resistance.” Connix gritted her teeth. "You should remember that."

“The Republic is gone now,” one of Leia’s aides interjected. “Whatever protection you think you have now is an illusion. The First Order will not leave you alone forever.”

“Your cause is an illusion,” one of the Mothers said is disdain. “And so was the New Republic. They lacked the foresight necessary to keep the galaxy from falling into darkness, and the consequence of that was their destruction.

The aide stiffened. "How could you say such a - "

"The First Order might as well have already won. I say we turn to them. I’m sure there is potential for a treaty - ”

“No.”

The Council of Mothers turned in their stone-carved chairs, all staring at Finn. The man had had enough of this ceaseless bickering. The fact that any of them could possibly entertain the fact of an alliance with the First Order was terrifying.

“I’ve seen what the First Order can do. I’ve seen it firsthand, and I am here to make sure that this system doesn’t have to as well.” When the Mothers collectively stared at him in disbelief, Finn crossed his arms in brief annoyance. “I was a stormtrooper at one point. If it weren’t for the Resistance, I would have never been able to escape. The Resistance… they are fighting for something bigger than themselves. They are trying to keep the inhabitants of this galaxy _ safe _.”

One of the Mothers shifted in her seat, her silver hair swaying as she turned to the others. “We have no standing military, but it might be in our best interest to take Leia Organa on her offer. If we are to sustain absolute freedom, that does require sacrifice from Gatalenta on our part-”

“Amilyn Holdo thought the same, and where is she?” One of the other Mothers sneered in response. “Dead. And I know I’m not the only one who doesn’t want o see more dead children of Gatalenta.”

“She died a hero,” Connix said quietly. “None of us would be here if it were not for her. Yes, she lost her life, but it was a sacrifice she made alone. Not just for the Resistance, but for the whole damn galaxy.”

The silver-haired Mother nodded in agreement, smiling at Connix. “Let us reconvene. More discussion is necessary if we are to reach an agreeable solution.” As she turned to the rest of the Mothers, they shifted in their pale gray dresses, hope shining in the eyes of some while stubborn expressions adorned the faces of others.

Connix gave a forced smile.

_ I hope we accomplished something here today. _ Finn was not feeling super optimistic.

“Transmission from Leia. The General says you are to return to base immediately.”

Finn looked at Connix in absolute surprise. “Me? Go back to base? We’ve been on Gatalenta for barely a standard day. The General ordered me here to offer the insight of a former First Order trooper, but I might still be needed here. The Council is unpredictable at this point.”  
The lieutenant put a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “You’ve helped plenty, trust me. I’m sure that whatever Leia has asked you to return for is important.”

Finn looked at her apprehensively. “I hope.”

“I know.” Connix gestured from where she stood at the meeting hall entrance to the hangar they had been allowed to use by the Council in the distance. “Take a transport. Safe travels.”

Finn grinned. “Good luck with the Council.”

He turned away and made for the transport with haste, his heart leaping at the sight of BB-8 swirling back and forth in flashes of orange and white at the ship’s entrance.

At least he would have decent company on his journey back to base.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be updating Edge constantly! Don't worry, stormpilot is coming :)


	3. Uneasy Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Poe reunite; Leia feels lost and alone

_ Leia _ . 

The named seemed to echo throughout the confines of the General’s quarters, causing her to turn away from where she stood by her bunk. “Luke.” Leia whispered the named as she stared into the empty doorway. Nothing. Had it been her imagination? She could have sworn her name had been said aloud. And not just by anyone. By her dead brother.

He was gone. Had been gone ever since the dreadful siege on Crait, where she had witnessed a sort of projection of him before she had felt his departure through the Force. He had left the world of the living while leaving her with a semblance of hope and slight problem.

Kylo Ren. The newly minted Supreme Leader of the First Order

Leia grimaced as she placed a hand of her face, doing her best to hide the tears she knew would come. The parting words of her brother had concerned her son, implying that no one was ever truly gone. She wondered how true that had been, and whether or not the wisdom had aged well or not; her brother  _ had  _ perished in his confrontation with Ren. Had he been mistaken? Had she been mistaken to have believed in him, especially when she had not seen him for years? Realistically, Leia should have been angry. At Luke, Ben, herself. This whole damn war. She had every right to be, but she wasn’t. Just tired.

Leia had fought for years. She was born into rebellion. She had toppled an empire and ushered in an age of freedom and justice. And she had watched it all fall into sudden oblivion, helpless. Helpless to save her galaxy. Her brother. Her husband. 

Would she lose her son?

_ Should the moment arrive, do I have what it takes to do it? If I had the opportunity, would I be able to order the death of my son? _

The new base of operations was not of the planetary kind. It was a retrofitted Mon Cala battle cruiser, named the  _ Holdo.  _ Like in the days of the Rebellion, the Resistance was mobile, moving through the great expanse of the Outer Rim as they evaded the watchful eyes of the First Order, while making stops at systems when needed.

_ Maybe it’s for the best _ , Finn thought as he slowly stepped down the ramp of the transport, doing his best to avoid the speeding BB-8, who whirled in a frenzy as he rolled into the bowels of the hangar.

“Finn!”

Poe ran across the vastness of the ship’s hangar, grabbing the other man and pulling him into a warm embrace.Finn felt his face reddening almost immediately; this was not what he had expected being welcomed back would be like. After an awkward moment of silence, Poe quickly stepped away, an unreadable smile etched on his face.

_Great_, Finn thought with relief. Poe had seemingly missed him as much as he had missed the pilot. Finn suddenly realized how cold he felt without being in Dameron’s embrace, pressed against the seams of his weathered flight jacket and his orange jumpsuit, his disheveled hair tickling his ear.

“Are you okay?”

Finn looked up at Poe, realizing that he had been staring at the metal plating of the hangar’s flooring. Stretching his arms to his sides, he forced a deep yawn. “Yeah. Didn’t get much sleep on the way here.”

“How was Gatalenta?”   


“Difficult.” Finn frowned, feeling slightly resigned. “Actually, it was quite strange.”

Poe’s eyes bore into him, his brows raised. “Strange? How so?”

Finn stopped for a moment, considering the implications of what he was going to say before he actually said it. He was not politically savvy, but the negotiations had given him an uneasy feeling. “I’d been debriefed on Gatalenta before we set out. From what I can tell, the planet has always been relatively peaceful, respectable. Hell, even during the days of the Empire, their people held a lot of respect for the old Jedi. Passed on the history and legends they’d managed to keep preserved.”   


Poe crossed his arms, seemingly anxious yet curious nonetheless. “What, in all of this, has piqued your interest?”

“The Council. The Mothers, for the most part, seemed to have more of a… pacifist mindset than I expected. I’d heard that Leia, through Holdo, had a good relationship with the system, but Holdo’s gone now. After Crait, Leia had made contact with the Council, sent a message about what happened with the  _ Raddus  _ and Holdo’s sacrifice… and they refused to open the line of communication until now.”

“Well, the line of communication is open now,” Poe stated, making a feeble attempt at a reassuring grin. “I’d say that’s a step forward, isn’t it?”   


“I don’t know, Poe. Yes, they helped coordinate the planning of the negotiations… but what are we negotiating, exactly? Leia wanted to make a mutually beneficial deal, one where Gatalenta supports our cause and we help acquire the resources that they are in need of. We were supposed to negotiate  _ what  _ resources we would provide for them, but that isn’t what went down exactly.”

“What happened?” 

Finn gave Poe a nervous chuckle. “Not what was planned. From the start, roughly half of the council gave the impression that they wanted nothing to do with us. Some even openly considered making deals with the First Order. So why even initiate the negotiations?”

Poe nodded, seeming to finally understand Finn’s point. “I think that you’re right. If such a significant portion of the Council was either pacifist or considering treating with the First Order, why have us come?”

Before Finn could continue, a familiar voice spoke from behind Poe.

“Finn. Poe.” Leia stood with one hand on her hip and a datapad in her other.

“General Leia.” Finn nodded respectively, and Poe did as well.

“It’s good to have both of you here back together, after so long.” Leia looked from one to the other, a solemn expression painted across her face. Finn realized, sorrowfully, how much Leia seemed to have aged since Crait. Since the drawn-out massacre that had almost ended the Resistance for good. Once they had escaped the clutches of the First Order, she had helped see them through to the light. She had helped build them back up to the point where they would soon stand a fighting chance.

_ She carries the world on her shoulders _ , Poe had once told him and Rey. Finn had learned soon after that that the pilot’s sentiment was more than true.

“Follow me,” Leia said, turning to walk back to the entrance from where she had entered the hangar. “I have a mission for you two.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 will be posted on September 5th


	4. The Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Poe prepare as their mission begins.

Leia cued the holoprojector at the bridge of the ship, displaying a transparent blue map of a section of the galaxy. Poe and Finn both stared in unison at a marked point on the projection.

“We’ve tracked the pirate vessel to coordinates located in the Unknown Regions.” Leia pointed at the mark, signifying the secret location. “We believe that this is the location of the aforementioned First Order shipyards, and possibly other factories or facilities. From what we know, the  _ Supremacy  _ was a mobile capital for the Order, and now that it has been eliminated, they will want to utilize all other assets.”

Poe snorted at Leia’s words. “Snoke’s ship was a monstrosity, and the fact that we were able to wipe it from the board means that the First Order will want to have their other assets well protected as they pursue building more shipyards and refineries across the galaxy. They’ve already began making footholds in the Core worlds.”

“It is imperative that the two of you set off on the reconnaissance mission immediately. The sooner we have collected the necessary scanning data for an assault, the better.” 

“Assault?” Poe turned to Finn, the source of the one-word question. The man put his hands firmly on the edges of the projection’s table, gripping it as if letting go meant he would fly off into the darkness of space for eternity. “We don’t know how many stormtroopers or officers they even have stationed. Or the security measures. A failed attack could cripple us indefinitely.”

“I am aware of the risk. That is why we need to strike while a strike is still practical. And it is also why I am sending the two of you,” Leia reassured him, her voice taking on a gentler tone. Poe noticed Finn ease his grip on the table. “You’ll take the  _ Millenium Falcon _ .”

Poe look at her quizzically. “The freighter?”

Leia gave a small laugh. “Freighter? Have some respect, she’s more than she looks. And that’s why you’re taking her. Well, only part of the reason. I’ve had Chewie install a cloaking device on the  _ Falcon _ , and trust me, it didn’t come cheap. Had one of my contacts on Nar Shaddaa was able to obtain it while - ”

“A cloaking device?” Poe could barely contain his excitement. A cloaking device, having the power to render a ship invisible to scanners and evade unwanted attention, was far from easy to come by. If it was not clear before that this whole operation was a high priority for Leia and the Resistance, it was now. Considering that much effort had already been put into the first phase of her plans, Poe would not have been surprised if Leia was already prepping the fighter squadrons and fleet vessels for battle. A battle that hinged on the mission he and Finn were to embark on.

Leia shot a stern look in his direction, visibly disapproving of the interruption of her anecdote. “Chewie is entrusting me with the  _ Falcon _ , and I am entrusting the two of you.” She crossed her arms in an effective attempt to appear more intimidating. “Don’t mess this up.”

“Take the  _ Falcon _ , get the scan data, rain fire on the First Order. Piece of cake.” Poe turned in amusement to Finn, only to see an expressionless look on his face. 

“It won’t be easy,” Finn murmured. “I mean, the data retrieval could either go smoothly or we could end up as stardust. But the attacking whatever shipyard or base they have… that could be disastrous if we aren’t properly prepared.”

“We will be,” Leia insisted. “We’ll have to be. This readout of the location may be the key to a major victory. And I think it goes without saying that we all want a major victory.”

Finn gave Poe a look filled with both relief and excitement. “Yeah. It’s time we try evening the odds. Or die trying.”

“Exactly,” Leia agreed. “This mission could change everything. For better, I’d hope.” She put a hand to the table of the projector, clicking a few buttons as she shut down the hovering image of the map. “Poe, I’ll send you the coordinates and the rest of the pertaining info.”

Poe nodded, turning and patting Finn on the shoulder. Finn, unintentionally startled, gave him a surprised look. “Sorry bud,” Poe said bashfully, realizing that he had accidentally shocked the other man with his touch.  _ Weird _ .

“It’s fine. Really, it is.” Finn’s expressionless face had made a sudden return, and Poe had to use every ounce of his willpower to keep his voice from shaking.

“Let’s get to the hangar.” His words had barely managed to sound anything but nervous.

“Yeah. The hangar.”

As the two made to exit the bridge of the ship, Poe heard Leia shout over his shoulder.

“Please, don’t die out there gentlemen. I expect to see both of you back on this ship in one piece.”

Poe had left Finn behind after the meeting to go to his quarters. He would shower, change from his flight gear to his boots and jacket, grab a quick bite. Be ready for when it was time to board the Millenium Falcon and head off into the unknown for their mission. 

As the showerhead sprayed and he scrubbed his hair, the foam of the soap dripping between his hands, he found his mind wandering. Thoughts of Finn. Of the touch, of the awkward bumbling between the two. Of the heat that Poe had felt in that moment, the unexpected warmth… but was it  _ that  _ unexpected? 

Sudden thoughts of Finn’s naked body in the infirmary after Starkiller Base danced in his mind. The taut skin of his chest, the strong arms and legs… and the broad shoulders. Yes, Finn had been badly injured then, but under different circumstances, Poe would have marveled at the man’s beauty. At his wonderful features, his impossibly muscular body that was the product of years of training as a stormtrooper of the First Order. He had survived the trials of his upbringing, and from the fire, Finn had emerged as a phoenix. 

Without thinking about it, Poe realized he was feeling himself. Feeling himself like he had never before. Squeezing hard, stroking fast, breathing hard. Feeling the pure ecstasy that Finn brought to him, and the love that he wanted to make, harder than anything he had ever wanted. Poe groaned as he went on, fast as light and his grip stronger than it had ever been. An immense surge of pleasure hit him as he finally came, gasping as the shower water pummeled his naked body. In that blinding white moment of feeling unlike any he had felt before, he thought of one name. One undeniable truth he was no longer able to avoid.

_ Finn _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They have their mission, and they know this is only the beginning. If you're interested in what kind of story this will be moving forward, here are some hints concerning the future:
> 
> Finn is afraid to enter the heart of the First Order's power  
Where is Rey?  
Loose ends will cause problems, to say the least  
Someone will act on their feelings


End file.
